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In my house, regardless of what vegetables are in the fridge or what basics are stocked in the pantry, one thing you’ll always find in our kitchen is 'Congress Kadlekai'. For the uninitiated, it’s a snack made with roasted peanuts and a mix of masalas. Its name is a cheeky nod to the 1969 split in the Congress party — much like the peanuts themselves, which are always split in half. This snack makes its way out every other weekend when my parents’ friends gather on the terrace for an evening of drinks, and is not just a staple in my house but a cultural icon throughout Karnataka, especially Bangalore.
In Indian households and restaurants, drinking culture isn’t just about the drinks — it’s also about the sides, or chakna, as we fondly call them. Chakna in Hindi is ‘to taste’ and while some dishes are loved across the country, many chaknas are deeply rooted in regional eating habits, shaping how India snacks when it sips.
Here are five such unconventional snacks that, once tried, become inseparable from your drink :
The true pan-Indian chakna. A crispy papad covered with onions, tomatoes, coriander and served with a dash of lime, found everywhere in the country from run–down bars to fancy pubs. It's the great equalizer of India’s drinking scene. It is always the first thing you order for the table and the last thing you reach for when the conversation gets loud and the drinks keep coming in.
Served across coastal India, especially in the Kerala and Konkan regions, fried fish is perfectly salty and feels almost like a bite of the sea. Best paired with a cold beer, from bombil fry to rava-coated anjal, it’s the coastal equivalent of a warm hug. The best part about this chakna is that it’s always fresh, marinated in local spices, and often ends up stealing the spotlight from the drink in hand.
Packing in maximum amount of tang, Goan mango and water pickle is a fermented brine with sliced raw mango, salt and chilli. Served with urak and feni, it cuts through the strong spirit with the right amount of acidity. Its beauty lies in its simplicity but yet its complex sour and salty flavour.
In the Northeastern parts of India, fermented fish, known as ngari in Manipur or shidol in Tripura, is the base for many pickles and chutneys served alongside local rice beers or local liquors. These bar sides carry a depth and funk to them which is not for the faint-hearted but an experience local to the region which resonated with their earthy palette.
Known locally as chaprah, this chutney made from red ants and their eggs is a tribal delicacy in Chattisgarh — and surprisingly, a brilliant chakna. Now don’t yuck someone else’s yum, chaprah pairs beautifully with whiskey or traditional mahua liquor.
